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Hello everyone.
It is now October 18th I believe. Have been in Zhaoqing staying at the university there since Oct. 9th. and have greatly enjoyed meeting the staff and working at the school for the deaf here. The staff is very warm and welcoming. Jeff, my interpreter is top notch and has done a fantastic job. I was very concerned that the content of my presentations would not translate. The staff seems genuinely interested in all things "American deaf education" that I present. Have done three 2 hour presentations and will do the fourth tomorrow, Thursday. Each one takes a lot of preparation. Yesterday, got invited to present at a preschool here servicing mentally challenged deaf and deaf preschool children. That will be next Tuesday.
Time has gone quickly. The University is just beautiful, a true oasis from the hub bub of the city. It slopes down a nice mountain gradually and has so many neat areas to explore. Right behind my building is the most beautiful tropical garden with LOTS of feng shui going on: crooked paths, water elements, cages of exotic birds (peacocks, guinea hens, etc.); fish ponds. Hugh warned me that there IS a dog in there so be careful.
Between presentations I've walked a great deal and swim daily in the olympic size pool. They think it is chilly here, but being from VT it is BALMY, kind of like a Florida environment. Have seen lizards and hear lots of crickets in the trees---good luck for the Chinese, crickets.
Just came from a true Cantonese breakfast with my interpreter, Jeff. He met me at the hotel downtown and it was just great: "porridge" as he called it, kind of like grits with bits of corn and chicken floating in it, lots of bean paste filled buns, some with sesame seeds (he gave me a package of them to take home), noodles with dim sum --- dumplings and greens. So glad my mother taught me to like vegetables! We chatted up a storm comparing American / European culture with Chinese culture and he educated me about some of the local customs. For example, when you re-fill a friend's teacup, the friend taps two fingers to indicate "thank you from me and my family". It is a way to honor his family and the moment of my doing him a favor. We launched on Christian and Buddhist religious beliefs. I shared from the Catholic tradition of Old Testament vs. New and the beliefs about Jesus' coming 2,000 years ago and his future return to Earth. He is bright and articulate and surprisingly knows a lot about Western culture---a pure delight to have as a new friend in China.
To answer Mary Cummings' and the students' neat questions: I have not interacted much with the students from the school. However, I have observed a few things. The school does not have enough money for hearing aids so many students do not have hearing aids. I will visit the library tomorrow to see how their stock of neat books is. I believe they don't have too many; I tried to emphasize in my presentations how important it is for children to experience great books. I think the students in RI are very very lucky to have the great books they do have. They do not eat on the floor like in Japan but they do use chopsticks. However, I have observed that some things, like Jell-o cannot be eaten with chopsticks! One hope one's rice is sticky rice as it makes it easier to get on to the chopstick. There is a certain etiquette about chopsticks, too...rules for their use. Do not point them at people, do not stir your tea with them, do not drag things across the table with them, do not cross them, when not in use, point straight in towards the table; if placed east to west on your plate it is to honor and remember ancestors.
I must end here. A student will soon bring me to an internet cafe where I may be able to upload some pictures. For now you will have to use your imagination a bit about China. I've tried to describe experiences here a bit for you. Goodbye for now. Frank Redmond